Static electricity buildup is common on electrically insulating articles, such as paper-rollers and apparatus, flooring materials, various synthetic resin articles, and on elements having an electrically insulating support. This static electricity buildup can cause various problems. These include jamming of paper in paper-feeding apparatus, dust accumulation, unpleasant electric shocks, or noise in electronic circuits.
In photographic elements, radiation-sensitive emulsions are usually coated on an insulating support, rendering the element susceptible to the buildup of static electric charge. This can cause a number of problems. Among the most serious of these is that the discharge of accumulated static charges exposes the radiation-sensitive layer of the element to light, causing marks on the element when developed.
In order to reduce the accumulation of static charge on elements with electrically insulating articles, the article is often coated with a layer containing an antistatic composition that increases electrical conductivity. Alternatively, the antistatic composition can be incorporated into the composition of the article or an existing layer of an element. Various materials have been used as antistatic compositions, such as polymers, surface active agents, salts, and combinations thereof.
A number of such antistatic compositions exhibit problems, especially when used in photographic elements. For example, they can cause fog or loss of photographic sensitivity. The object of the present invention is to provide antistatic compositions that effectively reduce the accumulation of static charge while exhibiting reduced susceptibility to disadvantages such as those described above.